by Commerce Committee; Tourism and Gaming Control Subcommittee; and Rep. Sullivan and others (CS/CS/SB 1370 by Rules Committee; Judiciary Committee; and Senator Perry)

The bill requires, beginning January 1, 2018, one of six specified warnings be placed in every advertisement or promotion of lottery games:

1. “WARNING: GAMBLING CAN BE ADDICTIVE.”

2. “WARNING: LOTTERY GAMES MAY BE ADDICTIVE.”

3. “WARNING: LOTTERY GAMES ARE A FORM OF GAMBLING.”

4. “WARNING: YOUR ODDS OF WINNING THE TOP PRIZE ARE EXTREMELY LOW.”

5. “WARNING: GAMBLING CAN CAUSE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS.”

6. “WARNING: PLAYING THE LOTTERY CONSTITUTES GAMBLING.”

Each of the six warnings must appear in an equal number of advertisements and promotions. A warning must occupy not less than 10 percent of the surface area of each advertisement or promotion of lottery games on television, the Internet, other electronic media, newspapers, magazines, and billboards. The warning must be announced at the end of radio advertisements.

The bill provides that beginning January 1, 2018, every contract between the Department of the Lottery and a lottery ticket vendor must include a provision requiring the vendor to place or print one of the six warnings on every lottery ticket. The warning must occupy not less than 10 percent of the total face of every lottery ticket, and be in black type on a white background. The bill also requires that one of the warnings be printed on every lottery ticket printed on or after January 1, 2018; each of the six warnings must appear on an equal number of lottery tickets.

If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect January 1, 2018.